Quinoa and Veggie Sliders

Don’t we all love a mouthwatering slider? There’s nothing like a big plate of sliders filled with rich, savory fillings when we’re feeling hungry! But because most restaurant sliders are filled with saturated fat, cholesterol, and calories, we tend to stop at just one…and we feel guilty even about that! So, we’ve put together a delicious vegetarian slider recipe that fills us up with ingredients that are clean and wholesome and great for our bodies. But, because this is SkinnyMs., we didn’t skimp on flavor. These vegetarian sliders are loaded with fantastic taste and texture as well as healthy ingredients.

For starters, we’ve ditched the meat for a healthier alternative, quinoa. Quinoa’s grain-like qualities are deceptive. This superfood is actually a seed, and it’s packed with fiber and protein, as well as some valuable nutrients and antioxidants. Forming quinoa into a patty, along with mashed chickpeas, and the rich flavors of Parmesan cheese and oregano, leaves us with a moist, hearty, and tasty slider, that’s complimented perfectly by roasted veggies. We’ve used zucchini and bell pepper, but you can get creative and substitute or add any veggies you like. Prefer classic lettuce and tomato? Maybe you have a craving for eggplant. Load up your slider with veggie topping for a well-rounded and nutritious dish.

Remember t0 use whole grain buns for your sliders, since these are clean eating treats! And feel free to indulge in a second slider. We’ve turned sliders into a healthy dish you can enjoy without the guilt!

10 whole-grain slider buns (buns can be made by using a circle cookie cutter to cut out two circles on a regular sized bun if necessary)

10 lettuce leaves

Instructions

In a small saucepan, combine the quinoa and water then bring to a boil over high heat. When it boils, turn down the heat to low and simmer for about 15 minutes or until the water is completely absorbed. Let it cool.

In a large bowl, add the chickpeas and mash with a fork or potato masher. Add the cooled quinoa, egg, bread crumbs, Parmesan, onion, 2 tablespoons parsley, 1/2 teaspoon oregano, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and pepper. Mix well. If it needs to be more compact, add additional bread crumbs.

While the burgers are in the refrigerator, grill the vegetables on a griddle. When the vegetables are tender, place them in a medium bowl and mix in 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil, balsamic vinegar, the remaining oregano, parsley, salt and pepper. Set aside.

Over medium heat, in a large nonstick skillet or griddle, add with the remaining extra-virgin olive oil, cook the patties until heated through and crisp. Over medium heat, on the same (clean) griddle or skillet where you cooked the vegetables, lightly brown the inside of the buns.

When all the ingredients are ready, place lettuce on the buns, the burgers, and the grilled vegetables.

Rowena is a recipe developer and food & travel writer/photographer from Italy with Asian roots. Creating healthy dishes in her own kitchen is priority. She believes there is nothing more satisfying than knowing that her family is eating natural & nutritious meals.